The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir of variable volume, and a dispensing orifice. The reservoir is provided with at least one deformable actuating wall urged by resilient means, e.g. a return spring, into a rest position in which the reservoir reaches its maximum volume.
A dispenser of this type is described, for example, in Document FR 2 791 645. The dispenser of that document is made up of two flexible sheets bonded together over their peripheries to define an internal volume which serves as a reservoir for the fluid. In addition, a piece is provided that is held between the two sheets and that closes off the reservoir. That piece is generally made of a plastics material and it defines a dispensing orifice through which the fluid can be dispensed from the reservoir in the form of a spray. In the initial storage state, prior to use, the dispensing orifice is closed off by a removable closure member that prevents the fluid from exiting from the reservoir, and also prevents air from penetrating into the reservoir through the dispensing orifice. An advantageous characteristic of that prior art document lies in the fact that the removable closure member closes off the dispenser when the reservoir contains no air or very little air. As a result, there is almost only fluid inside the reservoir. Since the quantity of fluid is small, the reservoir then presents a minimum volume so that the two flexible sheets making up the reservoir are almost touching. A return spring is disposed inside the reservoir to move the two sheets apart and thus to bring the reservoir into the rest position in which it defines a maximum working volume. When the removable closure member is in place, the return spring is fully compressed, and thus has a flat configuration. As a result, the dispenser also has a flat configuration which advantageously does not exceed 2 mm. Conversely, as soon as the removable closure member is removed, the return spring can relax because air can then penetrate into the reservoir through the dispensing orifice. The reservoir then contains a small quantity of fluid and a larger quantity of air. By pressing on the sheets making up the reservoir, it is possible to put the contents of the reservoir under pressure, and the fluid and air mixture is then delivered through the dispensing orifice so as to generate a sprayed two-phase jet.
An object of the present invention is to improve such a prior art dispenser in terms of manufacture and also in terms of conservation of the fluid inside the reservoir.
To achieve these objects, the present invention makes provision for the resilient means to be situated outside the reservoir, not in contact with the fluid. By disposing the resilient means outside the reservoir, it is possible to avoid having to perform an installation operation consisting in placing the resilient means, e.g. in the form of a spring, between the two component sheets of the reservoir. Thus, the reservoir can be filled with fluid and sealed while the resilient means are not yet in place on the dispenser. The resilient means can be mounted on the dispenser after the reservoir has been filled with fluid. In addition, because the resilient means are not in contact with the fluid, there is no risk of the fluid being degraded by contamination from the resilient means, which are generally made of metal.
Advantageously, the resilient means are connected to said at least one actuating wall by fixing means. The fixing means may comprise an adhesive. In a variant or in addition, the fixing means may comprise a holding clamp secured to or integral with the actuating wall and in which the resilient means are retained. In a first embodiment, said clamp is fixed to the actuating wall. In a variant, said clamp is made integrally with the actuating wall. In which case, said clamp may be formed by a flap formed by folding a flexible sheet over onto itself, said flexible sheet forming said actuating wall.
In all cases, by using an adhesive and/or one or more holding clamps, the resilient means can be put in place once the reservoir is already filled with fluid and sealed. The operations required to assemble the fluid dispenser are thus simplified.
In a practical embodiment, the resilient means are in the form of a clip having two branches connected together and extending in mutually-diverging manner in the rest position. Advantageously, each of the branches of the clip defines a free end, at least one of the free ends of the branches being secured to the actuating wall. Advantageously, the branches of the clip are connected together at an end of the dispenser that is opposite from the dispensing orifice.
In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser further comprises a removable closure member for closing off the dispensing orifice, the reservoir prior to removal of the removable closure member containing only a small quantity of fluid and little or no air, so that the volume of the reservoir is restricted and the resilient means are compressed, and the reservoir after removal of the closure member containing a small quantity of fluid and a larger quantity of air so that the volume of the reservoir is at its maximum and the resilient means are relaxed to the maximum extent. This type of dispenser is as defined in Document FR 2 791 645.
In another feature of the invention, the dispenser is made up of two flexible sheets connected together and forming the reservoir between them, each flexible sheet forming a respective actuating wall.
In a variant, the fixing means comprise a fixing sheet covering the resilient means and at least a portion of the reservoir.